FILM

BOY ERASED: SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING

The second film this year to tackle conversion therapy, Joel Edgerton wrote, directed, and produced this adaptation of Garrard Conley’s memoir. Edgerton also stars as a therapist determined to “cure” a Baptist pastor’s son (Lucas Hedges) who reveals to his parents that he’s gay. With Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and Troye Sivan. The Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C. presents a sneak preview a month before the movie’s national release, followed by a conversation with real-life subjects Martha Conley and her son Garrard. Friday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. The National Press Club, 13th Floor of the National Press Building, 529 14th St. NW. Tickets are $10. Visit mattachinesocietywashingtondc.org.

GARRY WINOGRAND: ALL THINGS ARE PHOTOGRAPHABLE

Once derided by the critics, Garry Winogrand’s “snapshot aesthetic” is now the universal language of contemporary image making. The first cinematic treatment of the photographer’s groundbreaking work includes selections from the thousands of rolls of film still undeveloped upon his untimely death in 1984. Sasha Waters Freyer’s film won the Special Jury Award for Documentary Feature at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival. Opens Friday, Oct. 12 at Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

HOLDEN ON

A 17-year-old, small-town football player fights to keep his mental illness a secret at all costs in this film based on a true story from the ’90s. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Lab Theatre I, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $14 to $20, including a pre-show meet-and-greet and a post-show panel discussion with the film’s director, Tamlin Hall. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

MIDDLEBURG FILM FESTIVAL

Held in a picturesque town in Virginia’s horse and wine country, the Middleburg Film Festival, founded by BET co-founder Sheila C. Johnson, offers a mix of independent features, documentaries and Oscar contenders, including several submissions for Best Foreign Language Film. Highlights this year include Alfonos Cuarón’s Roma, Boy Erased, The Front Runner, based on the derailed presidential campaign of Gary Hart, and Peter Farrelly’s highly anticipated Green Book, starring Viggo Mortensen as a bouncer hired to drive a world-class Black pianist (Mahershala Ali) on a tour of the deep South in the era of segregation. The festival will honor four exceptional women in film: Actor and producer Maggie Gyllenhaal, actor Yalitza Aparicio, director Nadine Labaki, and songwriter Diane Warren. The festival runs Thursday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 21 at the Salamander Resort & Spa and select other venues in Middleburg, Va. Passes are sold out except for packages including dinner, parties, and other events in addition to screenings ranging from $1,000 to $3,500. Visit middleburgfilm.org.

SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Josh Vogelsong, as his alter ego Donna Slash, presents a weekly film series at the cozy, 35-seat Suns Cinema in Mount Pleasant. This week’s film is Silence of the Lambs, the chilling Jonathan Demme Oscar-winner that gave the world the iconic catchphrase, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.” Patrons can enjoy drinks and snacks — hopefully not of the cannibalistic kind and are encouraged to stick around and discuss the movie afterwards over more drinks from the full-service bar. Special performance by Kunj. Monday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. 3107 Mount Pleasant St. NW. Tickets are $15. Visit sunscinema.com.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Every October, Landmark’s E Street Cinema presents not just one but two weekends with screenings of Richard O’Brien’s camp classic, billed as the longest-running midnight movie in history. Landmark’s showings come with a live shadow cast from the Sonic Transducers, meaning it’s as interactive as can be — particularly the last weekend of the month and a special spooky Halloween run. But you can get your next weekend with E Street’s traditional second-weekend run. Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at midnight. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

SNEAKERS

Robert Redford stars as a security expert tasked by the NSA to retrieve an item vital to world security in this lighthearted caper comedy. With River Phoenix, David Strathhairn, Ben Kingsley, Sidney Poitier, and Mary McDonnell. Part of the Capital Classics series at Landmark’s West End Cinema. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m., 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 to $12.50. Call 202-534-1907 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History screens Victor Fleming’s timeless 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel. The film is reportedly the most-watched motion picture in history. With Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Margaret Hamilton. Featuring a world-class score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg. Showings are Friday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 21, at 1:50 and 4:10 p.m. The Warner Bros. Theater, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-633-1000 or visit si.edu/imax.

STAGE

ANON(YMOUS)

Theatre Prometheus presents Naomi Iizuka’s adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey, focused on the journey of a child refugee separated from his mother in contemporary America. Jon Jon Johnson directs the politically relevant story featuring multiple characters brought to life by a diverse cast. To Oct. 27. Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $25. Call 301-588-8270 or visit silverspringblackbox.com.

BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY

GALA Theatre’s GALita Young Audiences series presents the world premiere of a bilingual play for children based on the life of Mexican-American botanist Ynés Mexia. Written by Cecilia Cackley and directed by Elena Velasco, Entre la tierra y el cielo follows a curious girl as she explores the magical world of plants and stars, and breaks with family and societal expectations. Opens Saturday, Oct. 13. To Oct. 27. GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $10 to $12. Call 202-234-7174 or visit galatheatre.org.

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL

Adventure Theatre presents a world-premiere adaptation of the classic book by Robert McCloskey, in recognition of its 70th anniversary of publication. A co-commission with New York City’s Children’s Theatre, the work was written by Sandra Eskin and Adventure’s Michael J. Bobbitt and features music and lyrics by William Yanesh. Directed by Jess Jung. To Oct. 21. Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Tickets are $20. Call 301-634-2270 or visit adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

BORN YESTERDAY

Garson Kanin’s sharp-edged screwball comedy may be 70 years old, but it resonates all too well with the Washington of today. The story focuses on an opportunistic tycoon seeking to game the Washington system — but the plans are sabotaged by his girlfriend and her alliance with an idealistic reporter pushing back to end corruption. Aaron Posner directs Edward Gero and Kimberly Gilbert in a lavish production bolstered by Daniel Lee Conway’s set, a glamorous two-level hotel suite with striking architectural details. To Oct. 21. Ford’s, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17 to $64. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fords.org.

BRYONN BAIN: LYRICS FROM LOCKDOWN

Bain’s one-man show concerns his experiences with racial profiling and wrongful incarceration at the hands of New York City police, and how his experience led to a transformative friendship with a death row inmate. A live band accompanies Bain as he weaves his acclaimed tale with more than 40 characters in a production presented by Harry Belafonte — through his Sankofa Justice and Equity Project — and directed by his daughter Gina Belafonte. Each performance will be followed by a town hall style dialogue at the Kennedy Center. Thursday, Oct. 18, and Friday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 20, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Terrace Theater. Tickets are $35 to $55. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

CORALINE

Focused on a young heroine who unlocks a door in her new house and reveals an alternate world with a dangerous secret, Neil Gaiman’s 2002 children’s book has inspired adaptations across a range of media, from a stop-motion animated feature to an opera. A decade ago, David Greenspan adapted the fantasy horror for the stage in collaboration with Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. And that is the version the quirky and adventurous Landless Theatre is producing. Melissa Baughman directs. To Oct. 28. Best Medicine Rep Theatre, Second Floor, Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Ave., in Gaithersburg, Md. Tickets are $10 to $20. Visit landlesstheatre.com.

HEISENBERG

A chance encounter at a London train stop changes the course of life for two people in this tender, funny, intimate comedy from Tony Award-winner Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time). Michael Russotto and Rachel Zampelli star. Joe Calarco directs. To Nov. 11. Ark Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE

An astonishing chronicle of one woman’s journey to break the cycle of sexual abuse by Baltimore-native Paula Vogel. The great Helen Hayes Award-winning actress Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) plays the adult survivor Li’l Bit, whose “education” at the hands of her Uncle Peck (Peter O’Connor) began when she was a mere eleven. The cast is rounded out by Daven Ralston, Emily Townley, and Craig Wallace. To Nov. 4. 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tickets are $50 to $60. Call 240-644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.

HOW TO WIN A RACE WAR

A parody of white supremacist “race war” fiction, Ian Allen’s play spans more than three centuries of civilization for an epic journey that is part-satire, part-exposé, and part horror show — depicting slave rebellions, skinheads, and a liberal dystopian future, and even featuring song-and-dance numbers. Presented by the D.C. theater collective The Klunch, the world-premiere production has a large 12-person cast including Kevin Boudreau, Kim Curtis, Tony Greenberg, Connor Padilla, and Ned Read, with voice work by Christopher Henley and B. Stanley. Weekends to Oct. 20. District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC), 2438 18th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $40. Call 866-811-4111 or visit theklunch.com.

IF I FORGET

A modern Jewish family is fracturing in this political and deeply personal play — and also a hyper-local one, written by Tony-winning Bethesda-native Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for Dear Evan Hansen. Set in Tenleytown, a piece of 14th Street real estate owned by the family becomes a sticking point — should they keep or sell the property? Matt Torney directs Richard Fancy, Susan Rome, Jonathan Goldstein, Robin Abramson, Julie-Ann Elliott, Paul Morella, and Joshua Otten. Extended to Oct. 21. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

LABOUR OF LOVE

A clever mashup of the political gamesmanship of The West Wing with a war-of-the-sexes saga akin to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning comedy is set in a member of Parliament’s district office and pokes witty fun at the ups and downs of left-wing British politics. Leora Morris directs Olney’s production, which features M. Scott McLean and Julia Coffey. To Oct. 28. Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

LINCOLNESQUE

Keegan Theatre remounts a thoroughly Washington play it first presented in 2009, about a speechwriter for a mediocre Congressman headed for defeat who enlists his brother, a psychiatric outpatient convinced he is the reincarnation of the 16th U.S. president, to write great oratory. Directed by Colin Smith, Keegan’s remount of John Strand’s comedy features original cast members Susan Marie Rhea, Stan Shulman, and Michael Innocenti. Closes Sunday, Oct. 14. 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $36 to $46. Call 202-265-3768 or visit keegantheatre.com.

LYSISTRATA

Sarah Ruden’s adaptation of the Greek farce by Aristophanes focuses on the titular heroine’s ploy to end a never-ending cycle of war by convincing the women of Greece to withhold sex until the men agree to a truce. Michael Blum and Darlene Harris co-direct a cast of local amateurs led by Amy Heller as Lysistrata. Weekends to Oct. 14. Spotlighters, 817 St. Paul St., Baltimore. Tickets are $21 to $24, or just $10 for “Ten Spot Thursday” on Sept. 27. Call 410-752-1225 or visit spotlighters.org.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

Shakespeare’s classic becomes a mirror of modern society in a dexterously crafted adaptation by U.K. theater company Cheek By Jowl and the Pushkin Theatre Moscow. The production offers a fresh take on Shakespeare’s dissection of the nature of justice, mercy, and virtue. Director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod originally developed the work for the Moscow stage. Part of the Kennedy Center’s World Stages series. In Russian with projected English titles. Remaining performances are Thursday, Oct. 11, and Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 2 and 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $19 to $75. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

SUMMERLAND

The Washington Stage Guild presents Arlitia Jones’ drama relaying the mysterious but true tale of William H. Mumler, a spirit photographer with a talent for capturing haunting images from the world beyond the veil. Set in the years after the Civil War, Summerland focuses on Mumler’s booming business of contacting the dead for mourners, and the city marshal who wants to prove the photographer is a fraud. Starring Yury Lomakin, Rachel Felstein, and Steven Carpenter. Kasi Campbell directs. To Oct. 21. Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $30 to $60. Call 240-582-0050 or visit stageguild.org.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

Shakespeare’s early comedy of mistaken identities involves two sets of twins and an ocean of confusion. Veanne Cox, Nancy Robinette, Tom Story, Ted van Griethuysen, Sarah Marshall, and Eleasha Gamble head a large, gifted cast. Directed by Alan Paul. To Oct. 28. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE FALL

Studio Theatre presents seven student activists from the Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town in a devised work that grapples with the legacies of race, class, gender, history, and power still standing 24 years after the official end of Apartheid. Written as the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes was dismantled on campus. Opens Sunday, Oct. 14. To Nov. 18. The Mead Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT

The LGBTQ-focused Richmond Triangle Players marks the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death with a production of Moisés Kaufman’s groundbreaking examination into the Wyoming murder and its aftermath. Lucian Restivo directs. To Oct. 19. The Robert B. Moss Theatre, 1300 Altamont Ave. Richmond. Tickets are $10 to $35. Call 804-346-8113 or visit rtriangle.org.

TURN ME LOOSE

Gretchen Law’s intimate and no-holds-barred drama chronicling Dick Gregory’s rise as the first black comedian to expose audiences to racial comedy. Edwin Lee Gibson plays Gregory, with John Garlin taking on all the other supplemental roles, from emcee to interviewer to heckler to cabbie. John Gould Rubin directs. Extended to Oct. 21. Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $40 to $95. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

MUSIC

AKUA ALLRICH

A D.C. native and Howard University alum, the young jazz vocalist and composer blends traditional, modern, and African jazz styles while singing in the showy manner of many of today’s leading soul/pop divas. But she’s especially well-regarded for covering Nina Simone, and Allrich will perform renditions of beloved songs by the jazz iconoclast as well as South African powerhouse Miriam Makeba. The concert will be followed by a panel discussion on “The Role of Black Women, Arts, and Activism.” Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Lang Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

BSO SUPERPOPS W/TONY DESARE: I LOVE A PIANO

The singing jazz pianist Tony DeSare has become known for putting his own jaunty spin on American Songbook standards. His appearance with Jack Everly and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will salute pop’s greatest pianists, ranging from George Gershwin and Ray Charles to Billy Joel and Elton John. Thursday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $25 to $90. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT, JUDAH & THE LION

Last weekend Mary J. Blige became the first entertainer to perform at D.C.’s newest multiplex — the same honor the Queen of Hip-Hop was given back in 2011 when she officially opened the Fillmore Silver Spring. The Grand Opening event at the generically named Entertainment and Sports Arena is actually this weekend and features the punky pop/rock acts Cage The Elephant and Judah & The Lion. Home to the Washington Mystics as well as an NBA G-League team, the 4,200-seat ESA was built on the site of the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in the Congress Heights neighborhood in Ward 8. Saturday, Oct. 13. Doors at 7 p.m. 1100 Oak Dr. SE. Tickets are $45 to $75. Visit esaontherise.com.

DJANGO DJANGO

This eclectic U.K.-based “psychedelic art pop quartet” merges surf rock with synth-pop — something like a cross between the Beach Boys and LCD Soundsystem. Singer and guitarist Vincent Neff leads a group also featuring drummer/producer David Maclean, bassist Jimmy Dixon, and synth player Tommy Grace. Monday, Oct. 15. Doors at 7 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $30. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

FOLGER CONSORT: OKTOBERFEST

There won’t be beer steins at this twist on the German tradition. Instead, the Folger Library’s early music ensemble puts the focus on music from German-speaking lands in the centuries before the classical era of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. The Consort’s founding directors Robert Eisenstein and Christopher Kendall are joined by other string and wind instrumentalists, plus tenor Mark Bleeke, for a program that includes colorful songs by 14th-century Tyrolean knight and musician Oswald von Wolkenstein, quirky instrumental pieces from the 15th-century Glogauer Liederbuch, and opulent early 16th century music by Heinrich Isaac and Ludwig Senfi. Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, 4 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 and 5 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $25 to $42. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

HEATHER MAE & SARAH CLANTON

Dubbed “the queer Adele” by L-Mag, D.C.’s power-piped singer-songwriter Mae writes and performs earnest and affirming folk/pop music, captured on five-song EP I Am Enough. Mae performs with Nashville-based singer-songwriter and cellist Sarah Clanton. The pair will performing their own individual songs as well as duets like “One Step Closer,” a smoldering, haunting punky quiet-storm kiss-off. Seattle-based singer-songwriter Katie Kuffel opens the show, presented in the intimate space above the H Street location of Dangerously Delicious Pies. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Pie Shop Bar & Patio, 1339 H St. NE. Tickets are $12. Call 202-398-7437 or visit dangerouspiesdc.com.

MAIMOUNA YOUSSEF

The Baltimore-born, D.C.-raised neo-soul singer-songwriter — whose style recalls Jill Scott, Floetry, even a little Lauryn Hill — returns for a one-night-only concert at the Kennedy Center. Youssef is out supporting Vintage Babies, a 2017 release featuring collaborations with Common, Eddie Bryant, and several with DJ Dummy, including international hit “Shine Your Light.” The concert comes as part of “The Human Journey” multidisciplinary collaborative series of the Center with the National Geographic Society and the National Gallery of Art.

Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Terrace Theater. Tickets are $29 to $49. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

MANDY BARNETT

A smokey alto country/Americana crooner who will put you in mind of kd lang, Barnett also owes much debt to Patsy Cline. In fact, many people know Barnett as Cline, as she portrayed the female country pioneer at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in a successful run of the Off Broadway musical Always… Patsy Cline. Barnett tours in support of Strange Conversation, her first album in five years, recorded at Muscle Shoals and featuring a duet with John Hiatt. Thursday, Oct. 18, at 8:30 p.m. City Winery DC, 1350 Okie St. NE. Tickets are $15. Call 202-250-2531 or visit citywinery.com.

MELODIME

The Northern Virginia-based band is gaining international notice not only for their pleasing, heartfelt country/rock blend of original music, but also for their efforts to go out of their way to make a difference in the world. Melodime donated 100 percent of proceeds from sales of the album Where The Sinners & The Saints Collide to Now I Play Along Too, a nonprofit foundation the group established that provides musical instruments and education for orphans, victims of disasters, and underprivileged kids locally and around the world. Comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Brad Rhodes, bassist/pianist Sammy Duis, drummer Tyler Duis, and string player Jon Wiley, Melodime performs a hometown show to celebrate the release of new EP roll-1. The Brevet opens. Saturday, Oct. 13. Doors at 7 p.m. The State Theatre, 220 North Washington St., Falls Church. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 day-of show. Call 703-237-0300 or visit thestatetheatre.com.

NATIONAL CHAMBER ENSEMBLE: MASTERS OF THE ITALIAN BAROQUE

Led by violinist Leonid Sushansky, the NCE launches its new season, “Adventures Through the Musical Time Machine,” with a program featuring the distinct, ordered, ornate, and emotive sounds of the 17th and 18th century in Italy. The first half of the concert chiefly focuses on the most famous of the Italian Baroque composers, Antonio Vivaldi, including his Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor and “Winter” from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, performed with a multimedia presentation of simultaneous words and images. The program’s second half focuses on Giovanni Pergolesi’s celebrated masterpiece The Stabat Mater featuring renowned soprano Sharon Christman and Washington National Opera mezzo-soprano Anamer Castrello. Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Theater 1 in Gunston Arts Center, 2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are $18 to $36 and include a post-concert hors d’oeuvres reception with the artists. Call 703-685-7590 or visit nationalchamberensemble.org.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: LENNY’S PLAYLIST

“An orchestral artist is a living being, and a musician incorporating all the music that has preceded him, and all the music informing his daily life.” The quote from Leonard Bernstein informs this program, led by the Philharmonic’s music director Piotr Gajewski, and featuring works notable to Bernstein, including Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, and Barber’s Violin Concerto featuring Bella Hristova. Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $34 to $84. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

NSO: MENDELSSOHN’S VIOLIN CONCERTO

National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Laureate Christoph Eschenbach returns for a program featuring rising star violinist Ray Chen, whose talent, sense of humor, and savviness with both social media savvy and pop culture — with appearances on Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle and a partnership with Giorgio Armani — are said to be “redefining what it means to be a classical musician.” In addition to one of the most treasured concertos in the repertoire, the program also includes Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral.” Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

LA TRAVIATA

The Washington National Opera’s Francesca Zambello launches the company’s season with a new production of Verdi’s everlasting story of love and sacrifice, renowned for its soaring arias and heartbreaking conclusion. A co-production with the Atlanta Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, the Seattle Opera, and Indiana University, La Traviata features elegant staging by Peter Davidson and turn-of-the-century costumes by Tony-winning designer Jess Goldstein. To Oct. 21. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $300. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

DANCE

ABADA-CAPOEIRA DC & BATALÁ WASHINGTON

Local capoeira leaders join forces with the all-women samba/reggae percussion band for a program of dynamic martial art and dance movements and syncopated rhythms celebrating the culture of Brazil. Saturday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

COMPANHIA DE DANÇA DEBORAH COLKER: DOG WITHOUT FEATHERS

Founded 24 years ago by athlete Deborah Colker, the physically daring, visually striking Brazilian company returns to the Kennedy Center with Dog Without Feathers (Cão Sem Plumas), an evocative work inspired by a poem by João Cabral de Melo Neto. The director and choreographer Colker’s first work entirely inspired by her Brazilian heritage gets staged as part of The Human Journey year-long multidisciplinary collaborative series from the Kennedy Center, National Geographic Society, and National Gallery of Art. Thursday, Oct. 18, through Saturday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $49 to $89. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

FURIA FLAMENCA DANCE COMPANY: CAFE FLAMENCO

Estela Velez de Paredez founded the Furia Flamenca Dance Company 15 years ago, with a focus on combining flamenco’s gypsy heritage with modern flamenco choreography to produce an elegant balance of motion and energy. Cafe Flamenco is an intimate evening of flamenco “tablao” style, with drinks and tapas served tableside during the performance by dancers from the company, a legacy resident entity with Joy of Motion Dance Center, and accompanied by guitarist Torcuato Zamora. Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8:30 p.m. Sprenger Theatre in Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $40 at the door. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

MANASSAS BALLET THEATRE: DRACULA

Just in time for Halloween, the resident company of the Hylton Performing Arts Center opens its season with a theatrical and seductive ballet adaptation of the ultimate vampire story, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Merchant Hall becomes Transylvania after dark, where just one taste of blood guarantees eternal youth in a tale performed with live accompaniment by the Kim Reynolds Band. Friday, Oct. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 3 p.m. 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va. Tickets are $25 to $65. Call 703-993-7759 or visit hyltoncenter.org.

WORDS BEATS & LIFE: FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK

Some of the best Muslim hip-hop dancers in the world perform as part of this original hip-hop production featuring choreography by American and international Muslim dancers and commissioned by Words Beats & Life. Co-directed by Amirah Sackett and Simone Jacobsen as part of the hip-hop company’s multi-year initiative “From Sifrs to Ciphers: Hip-Hop is Muslim,” Footsteps in the Dark explores the intersections of hip-hop and many Muslim communities where social taboo around dance is often rooted in patriarchy and misogyny. Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.

COMEDY

KRISH MOHAN

A Native American comic, who hosts the weekly web show “Fork Full of Noodles” and the podcast “Taboo Table Talk,” Mohan explores “bubble culture” among Americans and the current divide in today’s political climate through storytelling, satire, and comedy. His hour of “socially conscious comedy” was the Audience Choice Award winner at the 2018 Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. Opening set by Franqi French. Friday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. Reliable Tavern, 3655 Georgia Ave. NW. Tickets are $5 online, or $10 at the door. Call 202-800-0441 or visit reliable-tavern.com.

READINGS & LECTURES

ARENA CIVIL DIALOGUES: WELL-BEING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

A series of discussions for the broader Washington community focusing on topics and questions in today’s headlines. This weekend’s dialogue examines our digital life and world, including ways to prevent cyberbullying and online hate speech, led by participants Ellen P. Goodman of the Rutgers Institute for Information Policy & Law, Neema Singh Guliani of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington Legislative Office, former Boston Globe columnist and author Maggie Jackson (Distracted: Reclaiming Our Focus in a World of Lost Attention), Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and Maurice Turner of the Center for Democracy & Technology. Moderated by GWU’s Amitai Etzioni. Sunday, Oct. 14, at 5:30 p.m. Molly Smith Study at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St. SW. Free. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

ERNESTO CASTEÑADA: A PLACE TO CALL HOME

An American University sociology professor offers a comparative portrait of immigrant expectations and experiences in New York City, Paris, and Barcelona. Castañeda draws on 14 years of ethnographic observation and hundreds of interviews with documented and undocumented immigrants and their children in his book, which will be discussed at Adams Morgan’s “radical bookstore,” in operation since 1960. Friday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. The Potter’s House, 1658 Columbia Road NW. Call 202-232-5483 or visit pottershousedc.org.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS: HIS LEGACY TODAY

The 19th-century civil and women’s rights pioneer is saluted in an event at the National Archives in honor of the bicentennial of his birth. Co-presented by the National Park Service and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the event includes a panel discussion, moderated by John Whittington Franklin of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and featuring Kenneth B. Morris Jr., a Douglass descendant and head of co-presenting organization the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham of Harvard University and co-presenting organization the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and David Blight of Yale University and author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom — a new book that Blight will sign before and after the panel discussion. The program also features a dramatic rendition of Douglass’ 1894 speech “Lessons of the Hour, Why the Negro is Lynched,” performed by Douglass reenactor Darius Wallace. Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater, Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets NW. NW. Free, with reservations recommended; first-come, first-seated. Call 202-357-5000 or visit archivesfoundation.org.

MARIE WATT: COMPANION SPECIES LECTURE

An active member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, the artist — who works primarily in the medium of blankets — will discuss her work and influences, with a particular focus on the piece Companion Species, as part of the Clarice Smith Distinguished Lecture Series at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Watt’s work and community collaborations create a framework for understanding our relatedness to place, one another, and the universe in its ancient and modern conditions. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. McEvoy Auditorium, Lower Level, 8th and F Streets NW. Free, and available in the Kogod Courtyard beginning at 6 p.m. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanart.si.edu.

SMUT SLAM DC: ON THE EDGE

Smut Slam is a storytelling event where audience members sign up to tell their most entertaining real-life, first-person, consensual sex stories in under five minutes. Every event is queer-friendly, as well as king, sex, and body-positive. The Halloween-themed October edition focuses on heart-pounding, consensual encounters driven by the erotic thrill in a little danger and explorations into the farthest reaches of our fantasies — from almost-caught public displays to edging encounters with suspended orgasms. The evening’s “femme-cees” are the event’s co-producers Mindi Mimosa and Diva Darling, joined by a panel of local celebrity judges, who will help determine which storytellers get prize packs full of condoms, lube and sex toys. There’ll also be a Fuckbucket, for anonymous confessions and questions to share with the crowd.

Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Ten Tigers Parlour, 3813 Georgia Ave. NW. Tickets are $10 by preorder, or $15 at the door. Call 202-506-2080 or visit tentigersdc.com.

MIKHAIL OVCHINNIKOV: FABERGÉ IN THE AGE OF PROGRESS

The first deputy director of the Fabergé Museum since it opened in 2013 in St. Petersburg comes to Hillwood to offer the third lecture in an October series at the estate founded by prolific Fabergé collector Marjorie Merriweather Post and in conjunction with the current exhibition Fabergé Rediscovered (see Art & Exhibits). Ovchinnikov will discuss Fabergé’s sources of inspiration, going back to the innovations and feats of ingenuity popular among the firm’s contemporaries and the advancements in 19th-century Europe. Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

ART & EXHIBITS

AKINOLA DAVIES JR.: HOD

A provocative Nigerian moving-image artist — also known as Crack Stevens, under which name he directed the recent music video “Charcoal Baby” by Blood Orange — Davies premieres a body of work specifically produced for this show, billed as his first American solo exhibition. HOD creates a narrative of reclamation through displaced African artifacts in Western Europe and the impact their energies have both on the spaces from where they were removed as well as the places they now inhabit. The exhibition at Dupont Underground is presented by Sketchedspace, a global art company based in Seoul that collaborates with boundary-breaking artists. Through Oct. 20. Dupont Underground, 1500 19th St. NW. Visit dupontunderground.org.

ATHENAEUM INVITATIONAL: THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

Artists, both those specially invited and others who answered a call for submissions, created themed-based works in this fourth annual exhibition presented by Alexandria’s historic museum. The exhibition brings a modern context to the idea of a curiosity collection enveloped in a gallery-sized cabinet. On display to Nov. 11. The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-0035 or visit nvfaa.org.

BRIAN HITSELBERGER: OTHER WAYS OF TELLING

An incident of hate speech in this multidisciplinary artist’s own home as well as other anti-gay activities in his base of Athens, Ga. spurred creation of this series of paintings, drawings, and installations. “Counterspell,” the largest installation in the collection, combines small works by seven other LGBTQ-identified artists along with elements of Hitselberger’s creation to form a wall that acts as a spiritual protection against hate speech and homophobia. Montgomery College’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts presents the series as the first in a Soapbox Series at the Open Gallery on its Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus. Now to Nov. 9, with a reception on Oct. 25, and an art Artist Talk on Nov. 12. Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center, 930 King St., Silver Spring. Free. Call 301-362-6525 or visit cms.montgomerycollege.edu.

FABERGE REDISCOVERED

The late heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post has a renowned collection of pieces from the firm of Carl Fabergé, the legendary jeweler to the last court of Russia. A special exhibition at Post’s Hillwood Estate, nestled in a leafy section of Upper Northwest a few blocks from Van Ness, unveils new discoveries relating to the collection of about 90 Fabergé works, including two imperial Easter eggs. To Jan. 13. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $18. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

HARD AND SOFT

The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center presents a show featuring works by Thea Gregorius, Allen Linder, Michael Enn Sirvet, and Tim Tate that, taken together, question notions of hard — resolute, unwavering, masculine — and soft — ornamental, safe, feminine — while also exploring the relationships between sculpture and paper. Texture is central to the exhibition, often by way of contrast — soft, rounded spheres accompanying works that have been punched and pricked by the New York-based artist Gregorius, for instance, and delicate flowers that are actually hard-cast poly-vitro by Tim Tate, co-founder of the Washington Glass School and Studio. The largest of Tate’s three sculptures of flowers includes a glass lens with a blinking eye, an LGBTQ-themed “depiction of how we had to hide just a decade or two ago, but now we hide from no one.” Opens Friday. Oct. 19, with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. On display to Nov. 23. 4318 Gallatin St., Hyattsville, Md. Call 301-608-9101 or visit pyramidatlanticartcenter.org.

NEW NATURE BY MARPI

Polish-born, San Francisco-based digital artist Mateusz “Marpi” Marcinowski has developed an immersive audiovisual experience featuring a colorful digital menagerie of nature-inspired creatures and plant life that react in real time to users’ gestures and actions. Inspired by early multiplayer online gaming systems such as Super Mario Brothers, Marpi’s New Nature is the latest installation at D.C.’s unique art-meets-technology gallery ArTecHouse. Opens Friday, Oct. 12. On display to Jan. 13. 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets for timed-entry sessions are $8 to $15, with evening admission for those over 21 years of age and including exhibit-related Augmented Reality Cocktails available for purchase. Visit artechouse.com.

OUTSIDER ART INSIDE THE BELTWAY

Billed as the area’s largest showcase of self-taught and folk art, this 12th annual exhibition features work by local artists as well as others living and working throughout the U.S. as represented by art groups who responded to an open call for art. Presented by Art Enables, a gallery dedicated to artists with disabilities, participating organizations this year include New York’s Pure Vision Arts, Kansas’ Imagine That!, Minnesota’s Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts, and New Jersey’s Matheny Arts Access, in addition to local entities Saint Elizabeth’s, Studio In-Sight, Bethesda Health and Rehab, Arundel Lodge, VisAbility Art Lab, CREATE Arts Center, and Make Studio. On display through Oct. 19. 2204 Rhode Island Ave. NE. Call 202-554-9455 or visit art-enables.org.

PARENTING: AN ART WITHOUT A MANUAL

The latest theme examined in a year-long exhibition at this quirkiest of museums is that of “what might be humanity’s most essential performance art.” Works by 36 artists, created out of every conceivable medium, express, in some way, their personal experience of parenting or being parented — be it good, bad, horrific, or sublime — alongside revelations from the latest scientific research, global wisdom, and fun. Now to Sept. 1, 2019. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. Baltimore. Tickets are $15.95. Call 410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.

QUEER(ING) PLEASURE

Inspired by Audre Lorde, this exhibit of works in various media is focused on illustrating “the radical queer potential of pleasure” and the ways in which pleasure is an “unexpressed and unrecognized” feeling. Curated by Andy Johnson, per the District of Columbia Arts Center’s Curatorial Initiative, Queer(ing) Pleasure goes beyond the standard “limited, white, hetero-centric logic of the erotic” with works of performance, photography, embroidery, video, and sculpture by artists including Antonius Bui, Monique Muse Dodd, Tsedaye Makonnen, John Paradiso, and Jade Yumang. To Oct. 14. DCAC, 2438 18th St. NW. Call 202-462-7833 or visit dcartscenter.org.

WINE & DINE

CHINA CHILCANO: PASSPORT TO PERU WEEKLY MENUS

Carlos Delgado, head chef at the Peruvian-focused Latin-Asian fusion restaurant in José Andrés’ small-plates empire, is overseeing a month-long promotion celebrating the regions of Peru with a variety of weekly special menus. Week two, running to Sunday, Oct. 14, focuses on the country’s central highland area, showcasing the complex stew Adobo Aquequipeño, made with pork shoulder and lamb chops, root vegetables and Andean herbs ($17), which you can wash down with Chicha de Guindas, a mixed drink of cherry pisco and corn beer ($13). Week three, starting Monday, Oct. 15, puts a spotlight on the Amazon, such as textures of the Amazon tapas with Macambo ice cream, banana, and coconut ($9), and a Maracuya Rocoto Sour featuring passion fruit purée ($12). Week four features Peruvian favorites from the capital of Lima, including Cau Cau de Mariscos, with crab, mussels, scallops, aji amarillo, turmeric, mint, and potatoes ($17), and a Bullet Train to Tokyo cocktail featuring sake, cucumber pisco, rocoto pisco, and lemon ($13). To encourage people to try each week’s menu, the restaurant is offering a stamp per visit that can be redeemed for cocktails on a future visit. To Oct. 28. 418 7th St. NW. Call 202-783-0941 or visit chinachilcano.com.

RADIATOR BIERGARTEN

The cocktail bar and cafe in Kimpton’s Mason & Rook hotel will celebrate cooler temperatures and Oktoberfest traditions with an autumnal festival on the patio, complete with outdoor fire pits. The highlight is German fare on communal tables, from the traditional (Bavarian-themed lagers poured into steins) to reimagined biergarten bites from Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden, including pretzels and beer cheese dip, grilled bratwurst with charred onion and sauerkraut, and chicken schnitzel sliders on a pretzel bun. The promotion includes a loyalty punch card, with each liter of beer earning one punch — those with 10 punches will win an Oktoberfest-themed das boot to take home. Daily from 4 p.m., weather permitting. Through Oct. 22. Radiator, Mason & Rook, 1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Patio seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 202-742-3150 or visit radiatordc.com.

SNALLYGASTER DC: BEASTLY BEER JAMBOREE

Named after the mythical beast said to have once terrorized the area, this craft beer festival and fundraiser features more than 120 of the world’s finest breweries pouring more than 350 small-batch brews. The lineup is a who’s who of popular and revered breweries from around the region and the country, including Maryland (Charm City Meadworks), Virginia (Red Dragon Brewery), Vermont (Hill Farmstead), Michigan (Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales), California (Ballast Point), Texas (Jester King), Louisiana (Great Raft), and Florida (Funky Buddha), and Canada (Bellwoods). There will be food trucks and vendors, live music and DJs, and other festive fare. Saturday, October 13, from 1:30 to 7 p.m. Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 6th Streets NW. Tickets are $15, or $40 to $65 for passes also offering 30 food and drink tickets and early access. Visit snallygasterdc.com.

VIRGINIA WINE FESTIVAL

Alternately billed as “Virginia’s Oldest Wine Festival” and “the East Coast’s Longest-Running Wine Festival,” this 43rd annual event organized by TasteUSA and presented by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association features more than 200 wines from many of the commonwealth’s most revered wineries. The festival also features Virginia craft beers poured in the Virginia Oyster Pavilion, with bivalves served on the half shell, grilled, or baked in special dishes. It will all be complemented by live entertainment, craft vendors, and of course food trucks and vendors — including Brick n’ Fire Pizza, Columbia Station, DC Slices, Danibelle’s Lebanese, Kovi Asian Kitchen, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Maggiano’s, Red Dog BBQ, Qui Qui Catering, and Smoke in the City. Saturday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gateway Park Rosslyn, 1300 Lee Highway, Arlington. Tickets, including tasting glass, unlimited wine (and cider) tastings, and access to the Oyster Pavilion, are $40 in advance, or $55 at the door; a VIP pass also grants one-hour early admission, plus access to a private tent and bathrooms with additional reserve wine tastings and costs $65 in advance or $95 at the door. Visit virginiawinefest.com.

NIGHTLIFE BY DOUG RULE

CTRL PRESENTS BLACKOUT: A BRITNEY ALBUM CELEBRATION

The queer DJ collaborative that came into being as a popular monthly party, including a four-year run at Town, CTRL is ensuring Britney Spears fans aren’t left in the dark with the forced shuttering of its home. DJs Jeff Prior, Adam Koussari, and Dvonne aka Devon Trotter have found a new venue for its fourth annual dance party paying tribute to Britney’s album Blackout, released Oct. 25, 2007, and featuring the hits “Gimme More,” “Piece of Me,” “Break The Ice,” and “Toy Soldier.” All in all, we’re talking 14 tracks, which is not enough, even allowing for remixes, for a multi-hour dance party. Which is why there will also be a heavy dose of other favorite pop artists “with an electropop, nu-disco, house kick.” Saturday, Oct. 20, starting at 10 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

PEACH PIT

Named after the diner on Beverly Hills, 90210, Peach Pit was started by DJ Matt Bailer more than eight years ago at Dahlek, the former Eritrean restaurant that also birthed Mixtape. Bailer describes the party as a “kind of sweaty mosh pit of guys and girls, straights and gays, black people and white people, old people and young people — all just dancing and singing at the top of their lungs.” Peach Pit is very strictly ’90s, as Bailer only plays and takes requests for tracks released between Jan. 1, 1990, and Dec. 31, 1999. Saturday, Oct. 20. Doors at 10 p.m. DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. Cover is $5, or $8 after midnight. Call 202-483-5000 or visit dcnine.com.

DEATH BECOMES US P.U.B.

Two of the three small connected spaces in the Drink Company’s Shaw pop-up bar, or PUB, finally reopen after Warner Bros. threatened to sue if they opened as an immersive tribute to the animated TV series Rick and Morty. (The third space continues as a tribute to Richmond’s heavy metal band GWAR.) Brightest Young Things has partnered for a month-long spooky crime-themed pop-up that doubles as a preview of BYT’s True Crime Festival the first weekend of November. Specifically, decor and cocktails will draw inspiration from three of the most infamous flashpoints featuring women from the past: the Black Dahlia, the brutal — and still unsolved — murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947; the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s; and 16th-century female serial killer Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian noblewoman who allegedly bathed in the blood of virgins to retain her youth. Launches Thursday, Oct. 11. Daily from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). Runs to Nov. 4. Drink Company, 1839 7th St. NW. Call 202-316-9396 or visit popupbardc.com.

JUSTICE

Bottoms Up Productions, in association with Flashy Sundays, presents a new all-night affair, with music by Hex Hector, the pioneering dance remixer/producer to the star divas, and Mexico’s gay star DJ Isaac Escalante, as well as Sean Morris and Kurt “TWiN” Graves, the DJs from Flash’s regular gay party. Although undisclosed, expect the venue to be bigger and better able to accommodate the Flashy crowd. Saturday, Oct. 20, starting at 10 p.m. Location to be announced. Tickets are $15 to $30. Visit justiceforalldc.com.

LA FANTASY

October is dress-up-as-a superhero month, and La Fantasy Productions is aiding the cause as it gears up for a Halloween costume party at L8 Lounge featuring tribal/club beats from gay circuit star DJ Ivan Gomez from Barcelona and D.C.’s own Chord Bezerra. Friday, Oct. 19, starting at 10 p.m. 727 15th St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 202-506-7006 or visit lafantasyproductions.com.

TEN TIGERS PARLOUR: THE COVEN’S 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Every second Saturday of the month comes a queer women-centered “witchy dance party” in the Petworth restaurant/bar/intimate nightclub venue owned by D.C.’s ubiquitous Hilton Brothers (Brixton, Marvin). Kate Ross’ The Coven is touted as “open to all genders, orientations, ideologies, and badasses,” and an event where — no surprise given the name — “dark couture is encouraged.” Saturday, Oct. 13, starting at 10 p.m. 3813 Georgia Ave. NW. Call 202-506-2080 or visit tentigersdc.com.

SISSY THAT TUESDAY: SAVAGE BEAUTY

Pussy Noir pays tribute to Samhain, the Gaelic festival with pagan roots ushering in the “darker” winter season, with the October iteration of her monthly out-there cabaret/performance art party. Fellow local drag act Jane Saw serves as special guest for a witchy party where “there will be a bloodbath,” so “latex and vinyl and patent leather are all encouraged.” Wes the DJ will be behind the decks playing eerie and dark dance-pop/house tunes. Tuesday, Oct. 16. Trade, 1410 14th St. NW. Doors at 8 p.m. Call 202-986-1094 or visit tradebardc.com.

ABOVE & BEYOND

FORD’S THEATRE’S HISTORY ON FOOT

A local actor offers the guided tour Investigation: Detective McDevitt, portraying Detective James McDevitt, a D.C. police officer patrolling a half-block from Ford’s Theatre the night President Lincoln was shot. Written by Richard Hellesen and directed by Mark Ramont, the 1.6-mile walking tour revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the assassination. Tours are offered every Saturday in October at 10:15 a.m. 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $18. Call 202-397-7328 or visit fords.org.

GET A CLUE: A MURDER MYSTERY EVENING

A live action game of Clue is the draw for this one-night-only event at the DAR Museum, which tells the story of American home life from the 18th through the early 20th century. The game will be played out in the two galleries and 31 period rooms of the museum, which was founded in 1890 along with the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Who committed a murder at the museum? And where? And with what weapon? Thursday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. 1776 D St. NW. Tickets are $35 and include two drink tickets, a detective packet, and special access to collection objects. Call 202-879-3241 or visit dar.org/museum.

LA-TI-DO: ROLES YOU’LL NEVER PLAY

Regie Cabico and Don Mike Mendoza’s variety show features higher-quality singing than most karaoke, often from local musical theater actors performing on their night off, and also includes spoken-word poetry and comedy. Held at Bistro Bistro in Dupont Circle, Mendoza and Anya Randall Nebel host an evening centered on the theme of parts La-Ti-Do performers would never play — with a lineup including Julia Capizzi, Vanna de la Cruz, Caroline Dubberly, Taunya Ferguson, Matt Horanzy, Lawrence Kromrower, Geraden Ward, and Robin Weiner. The October edition also features the music of Kari Ginsburg. Pianist Paige Rammelkamp accompanies the performers along with a small jazz band. Monday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. 1727 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $15, or $10 if you eat dinner at the restaurant beforehand. Call 202-328-1640 or visit latidoproductions.com.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

In the year 1529, King Henry VIII flaunted his love for Mistress Anne Boleyn by bringing her in tow — and not his wife Queen Katherine of Aragon — as part of the royal court’s annual trek to the village of Revel Grove for its Harvest Festival. “Of all the storylines we do with Henry VIII,” says Carolyn Spedden, artistic director of this annual festival, now in its 42nd year, “Boleyn tends to be the most popular.” Guided by an overarching historical storyline that changes each year, RennFest offers a little something for everyone in what Spedden calls “a very inclusive, welcoming event. Everybody should feel comfortable coming through the gates.” That’s true whether your primary motive is to take in the performances — over 200 professionals engaged in everything from jousting to comedic sword-fighting to reenactments to parodies of Shakespeare — or to shop for early holiday gifts from “the amazing artisans here with their handmade wares.” Or simply to eat a turkey leg, steak on a stake, or cheesecake on a stick. RennFest runs weekends to Oct. 21. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $19 to $26 for a single-day adult ticket, with multi-day passes also available, or a Season Pass for $150. Call 800-296-7304 or visit rennfest.com.

OPUS MERRIWEATHER

Columbia’s recently renovated Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods gets transformed once again as the second in a three-year project celebrating technology and art. Presented by the Howard Hughes Corporation, the developers of downtown Columbia, this free, multi-sensory festival features immersive art installations, mesmerizing music performances and projection mapping, as well as artisanal culinary offerings all intended to offer a surreal sensory journey. Among the highlights of the second year, with the theme “Enter The Kaleidoscope,” are a multi-layered performance of MYRIAD by Oneohtrix Point Never, photographer Marilyn Minter’s film Green Pink Caviar, conceptual art by German “sonic house” artist Pantha du Prince, and the Mexican-born multimedia artist Alejandro Almanza’s kinetic installation “Ahead and beyond of everyone’s time, space and rhythm,” which suggests a rupture in space-time between two divergent events, namely a fancy dinner and a dance party. Saturday, Oct. 13, from 4:30 to 11 p.m. 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Free. Visit opusmerriweather.com.

VIDA FITNESS 5K RUN/WALK IN EAST POTOMAC PARK

Kelly Collis and Jen Richer, co-hosts of 94.7 Fresh FM’s The Tommy Show, emcee the race and awards ceremony at this 4th annual event sponsored by Vida Fitness. Also known as Hains Point, the park’s flat running course circles the Potomac River and is both dog and stroller friendly, with special race heats for both children and pets. Prizes include Vida memberships, training sessions, and guest passes, as well as gift cards from affiliated outfits SweatBox, Aura Spa, and Bang Salon. Proceeds from the race, as well as new socks collected via a pre-race sock drive, will go toward Thrive DC, dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in the area. Saturday, Oct. 13, beginning at 7 a.m., with race kicking off at 8 a.m. at Ohio Drive SW just south of the Jefferson Memorial and across from the District Wharf. Visit vidathrive5k.com.